


numquam mutaverunt

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Reincarnation AU, mostly eruri, side of eremin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-12
Updated: 2014-06-12
Packaged: 2018-02-04 08:45:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1772923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The blood-soaked landscape appeared before his eyes, stretching endlessly in all directions. Corpses littered the ground like broken toys, and all you could hear was the deafening sound of people screaming in pain, for themselves and others. A blonde man stood next to Levi, his face was familiar, yet he was a stranger at the same time. The man's eyes met his. </p><p> </p><p>"Do I know you?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	numquam mutaverunt

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another SnK reincarnation AU, this one is good I promise. 
> 
> I own none of the characters. 
> 
> The title means "I never changed" in Latin. 
> 
> I will try to post chapters weekly, but there's no guarantee. 
> 
> Big thank you to my friend Ari for helping me write this, her twitter is @sayakarniki. 
> 
> You can follow me on tumblr (corsolas.co.vu) and twitter (@corsolas) 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

Imagine complete and utter nothing. 

No ups, no downs. 

There isn’t a right or a left to be found, no colours. 

There’s no such thing as darkness, and light is only a concept; awareness is dim and impaired. 

There’s absolutely nothing, and it’s horrifying, and it goes on for eons. 

 

Levi was unable to move in his horror, this nightmare that he’d had repeatedly for nights and it seemed inescapable. 

It’s suffocating, almost, the silence, like a box with it’s walls closing in. 

Just as Levi gives up the hope that he’d wake up any time soon and end this newest nightmare, there’s something. 

There’s no sight yet, his sense only just opening up into a new dream.

 

First, it was his sense of smell he gained. It repulsed him. 

The stench was bitter and noxious, the sickly sweet smell of rotten flesh and putrid blood. 

The ghastly aroma hung in his nostrils like a lynching, and he could feel himself retching.

 

Feel. He could feel himself retch and vomit, his stomach convulsing and he brought up his last meal, the gravel ground biting his palms, and the heat of wet blood staining his hands and the ground. 

Now he could taste bile and the acidic tang of stomach acid, and the wretched sting of the air and its foul odor which stung his eyes danced along his tongue.

 

Levi could taste and smell and feel, and his own horror soared, and now in addition, he felt complete and utter remorse. 

He wanted to scream, and he did, he felt it hurtling out of his throat, but he couldn’t hear the blood-curdling screams ripping from his mouth.

 

His ears were ringing and his head spun. 

The edges of his vision blurred as he began to see, and what he saw made him miss the empty landscape of his old nightmare. 

 

Almost as if he was shoved, all of his senses awoke at once. 

Everything was put into motion, the cadence of people screaming heart-wrenching screams and shrieking the names of loved ones slicing his eardrums. 

He could see corpses missing limbs scattered across the narrow alley, their bodies laying as if they were dolls discarded by their owner. 

 

In all his 23 years, he had never seen such devastation that could rock his soul like this. 

Pulling himself to his feet numbly, prepared to run, he saw a flash of blue. 

A man knelt before him, his face pulling a memory in the back of Levi’s mind, trying to open a door just out of his reach. 

Levi blinked. The man’s face was chiseled and strong, contorted with fear, his blue eyes full of tears that streaked his face. His thick eyebrows bowed in worry. 

Levi coughed and tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth and gasped, looking down to see his abdomen was torn open and his condition was beyond help. 

Choking, he looked up and the man, who, now as Levi became more aware, was screaming his name. 

 

Levi’s vision went black, and the last thing he felt before he was completely gone were the arms of the man,and somehow, it made it all a little more bearable. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------

 

Levi sat bolt-upright in his bed, the sheets tangled around his legs and his shirt stuck to his sweat stained torso like a second skin. 

Panting and shaking, he stood up and pulled on the rumpled pair of jeans he had thrown on the floor carelessly the night before. 

Who was that guy…? 

We haven’t met before, right? 

He thought before disregarding the dream and getting dressed.

 

He ran a hand through his hair and cast a side glance at the clock. 8:37. Levi sighed. 

He didn’t have time to brew a pot of coffee, or he’d be late to work. 

Buttoning the last button on his shirt, he decided there was no harm in swinging by the coffee shop which Eren, his friend Armin’s boyfriend, worked on his way to the office where he needed to meet his boss to discuss the finishing touches on the photographs he had been working on.

 

Levi stepped through the door of his apartment and onto the busy street, just barely avoiding a young girl running, probably late to class at the nearby university. 

He simply shrugged and began his short walk to the cafe where Eren worked. Armin would most likely be there, as he stopped by most mornings to see his boyfriend.

 

He stepped through the doors of Jaeger Cafe and the bold fragrance of coffee filled his nose. 

The cafe was owned by Eren’s father, hence the name “Jaeger Cafe”. 

Eren’s father, Grisha, had bought the small coffee shop shortly after Eren’s mother, Carla, passed away. 

 

Levi didn’t particularly like Eren, he found him to be hot-headed and quite bellicose. 

But somehow, Armin, who was Levi’s friend of 7 years, was completely infatuated with the boy. 

The only reason Levi tolerated Eren’s “sheer stupidity” as he called it was that he simply didn’t want to hurt Armin’s feelings, and was happy that the blonde-haired boy had found someone. 

 

Levi, on the other hand, was painfully single, and had been for a long time ever since his last relationship went sour because they couldn’t stand Levi’s obsession with cleanliness and how he preferred to stay in, opposed to going out. 

But, enough of that. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he stepped up to the counter to order.

 

“I’d like an extra-large black coffee. Hold the milk and sugar, please.” he told Eren while glaring at him, which was his polite way of saying ‘don’t you dare fuck up my order, Jaeger.’. 

He was almost daring Eren to add milk and sugar to test him. 

 

Eren simply nodded and pointed to their usual table, where Armin sat, reading a book as usual. 

Armin was a lively ray of sunshine that filled the cafe with a certain burst of life that could raise anyone’s spirits. 

That’s just how Armin was, his demeanor enough to bring up anyone. 

He slouched slightly against the floraled wall, his feet crossed and drawing lazy circles in the air. 

Levi carelessly and haphazardously tossed a few bills on the counter to pay for the coffee. “Keep the change,” he grumbled.

 

Levi made his way over to the table and sat down quietly across from Armin. Armin glanced up and smiled warmly.

“Hey, Levi!” the short blonde greeted him. “I invited one of my friends to come meet you. He’s a doctor.” Armin added, winking.

 

Levi groaned internally. 

Armin was always trying to set him up with one of his stupid friends. 

He opened his mouth to retort with a sarcastic comment when Eren called his name.

Finally, Levi thought. Coffee. 

 

As he stood up to grab his drink, he quickly told Armin, “I can’t stay long, I have to run to work. You have 10 minutes, tops.” 

Armin nodded and suddenly his eyes lit up. “Oh! There he is! Levi look out-”

BAM. 

 

Hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot. 

 

Hot. 

His only thought was Hot. 

Some dickhead had spilled their coffee all over Levi, and they were going to pay for it.

 

The culprit immediately picked Levi up, bridal style, and practically ran into the bathroom. 

The man quickly removed Levi’s jacket and started to unbutton his shirt.

 

Levi grabbed the man’s hands. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he spat, shoving the man away from him. 

That’s when he really looked at the stranger in front of him. 

 

“Holy fuck.” he whispered. 

And he was right. 

The man in front of him was a god. He was tall, at least 6ft. He had a chiseled jaw and broad, but not too bulky shoulders. His eyes were a gorgeous blue and his blonde hair was neatly combed. 

He was every teenage boys’ and girl’s wet dream. 

 

“Whoa there. Calm down. I’m just making sure you’re skin isn’t burned. I’m a doctor. Well, training to be one.” The man spoke, smiling sheepishly, his voice deep and gentle as if he was comforting an upset child.

“Well you didn’t have to rip my clothes off, did you? And I’m fine by the way.” Levi said, trying to stay calm.

“Oh, good. Sorry about, um, taking your shirt off. Just making sure I didn’t hurt you.” The man replied, blushing slightly.

“Whatever. Oh, by the way, FUCK YOU,” Levi yelled, “You just ruined my jacket and shirt! Now I’m going to be late to work. I can’t fucking believe this.”

 

The man looked genuinely taken aback. “Here, at least let me buy you a new shirt. My name’s Erwin, my friend Armin said he wanted me to come meet his friend Levi. Do you know him?”

Levi started to laugh. “Holy fuck, you’re the one Armin said was coming. You massive fucking douche, I’m Levi. You spilled your shitty coffee all over my shirt. Let’s get out of here so I can yell at Armin for having stupid friends.”

 

Erwin just nodded at him and they left the bathroom together. 

The pair quickly made their way over to the table where Eren had joined Armin. 

Their eyes widened when they saw Levi’s ‘grumpy face’ and the giant coffee stain on his shirt. 

 

Armin stood up quickly. “Oh my god, Levi are you okay? This is Erwin, but it looks like you two already met?”

Levi laughed again, sarcastically. “Oh, yeah. We met alright. I’ve known him for 2 minutes and he’s already trying to rip my clothes off.”

Eren’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “What were you guys doing in there?”

 

Levi just shook his head and sat down, crossing his leg and trying to look as dignified as one could with coffee all over themselves. 

Erwin sat next to him and reached his hand out to touch Levi’s thigh. 

He opened his mouth to say something when a bright light flashed behind his eyes and he was transported back in time to another time. 

A memory?

 

Levi’s arm felt like he had stuck his hand in an electrical socket, bursts of electricity running through his veins. 

Gasping, his vision exploded in a thousand colours and went black before he blinked and opened his eyes. 

What he witnessed was his dream from the night before. 

The nightmare where he died, but this time, he recognized the blonde man that held him in his arms as he died, to be Erwin. 

But unlike the dream, he could see what happened afterwards.

 

Levi’s perspective changed, so it was from third person instead of his own perspective. 

It felt invasive on the moment, like he wasn’t there. 

They both both wore a kind of military uniforms, which gave Levi some thought to what had killed him. 

He saw his body there, limp and bloodied, his eyes flat and dim, lifeless. 

His fingers brushed the ground as Erwin held his and sobbed against his dead chest. 

His body was tense and shook with tremors and he cried, his body aching for the man he loved who now lay there, dead. 

 

It didn’t seem real. He didn’t know this man, but somehow, he did. 

He screamed. This wasn’t right at all, none of this happened, he couldn’t-

 

Suddenly, he was jolted back the present, and it appeared only mere second had passed by. 

Eren and Armin glanced at each other, eyebrows raised, before Eren cleared his throat, and Levi shoved Erwin’s hand away, his face flushed. 

 

“i’ve got to go, or I’ll be late.” Levi said flatly.

“Yeah, same here,” Said Erwin, standing up and grabbing his coffee off the table. “Can I get your number, Levi? I’d like to talk to you again, if that’s alright with you.”

 

Levi stared at Erwin. 

‘Who the fuck does he think he is? This gorgeous blonde with a nice ass waltzes in, spills coffee all over me, then asks for my number? And I’ve been having dreams about him? What the hell is going on?’ He thought to himself.

 

“Um. Sure?” Levi replied lamely.

‘Real fucking smooth there, Levi.’ He chastised himself.

Erwin pulled out his phone and Levi quickly told him the numbers as Erwin typed them into his fancy smartphone.

 

“I’ll text you later so you can save my number.” Erwin told him, before walking away with a small wave and the hint of a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

Levi stood up and walked out of the door as well, before saying a quick goodbye to Eren and Armin who were staring at each other all lovey-dovey. 

Gross. 

Time to make his leave, he thought.

 

He quickly made his way back to his apartment to change and then headed to work at the pretentious photography studio in the nice part of downtown Dallas. 

Levi was extremely good at anything art-related. 

He aspired to become an artist one day and sketches whenever he finds the time, but for now Levi took photographs of models for various fashion magazines.

 

He checked into work at the front desk and headed up to the 4th floor to his office, preparing for another long and boring day. 

At least the pay was good. 

It was enough to pay for the expensive, high-end loft he rented out, and he could eat and go out when he wanted. 

 

The day was long and uneventful, mostly. 

Few things happened. He learned that his coworker, Hanji, was leaving town soon for a business trip, so he would have to cover a few things for her. 

His boss was ragging on him, again, and he ran a few errands and scheduled several photoshoots. 

His desk had scrawled post-its all over it with names and suggestions of models he could call for the shoot. 

At least, there, he had something to look forward to. He actually enjoyed photoshoots.

 

At around 8 pm, he signed out and walked home. 

The sky was dimmer now, and there was less traffic. 

The air smelled of fresh rain and coffee, the University part of town he lived in lined with seemingly hundreds of small cafes and shoppes. 

 

Finally, Levi made it home. 

Levi dumped his bags unceremoniously on the floor of his apartment, and instantly headed to the bar to pour himself a much-needed drink. 

 

He walked over to his desk, scotch in hand. 

Levi sat down and pulled out his worn sketchbook, losing himself in the familiar routine. 

He hardly paid any attention as he sketched tiredly. 

 

About 15 minutes later, he looked down at his sketchbook to see how it turned out. 

Levi had drawn a strange symbol; a logo perhaps? 

It was two overlapping wings, one dark and shaded in and the other white and clear.

Where had he seen this before? 

Then it hit him.

 

This was the logo that had been on his and Erwin’s uniforms in the strange dreams.

Levi stared in confusion at the wings he had drawn. 

What did they mean? More importantly, what were the dreams? 

 

He shook his head, scowling. 

Instead of pondering over these pressing questions, he decided to sleep. 

Sleep would help him rest. All of this stuff was probably nothing to worry about.

 

Levi quickly brushed his teeth and pulled on boxers to sleep in, and prepared himself for another dream.


End file.
